Sonoma Ranch vs. Stone Oak (Houston, San Antonio: 2009, new home, neighborhood)

[tfrog]

Hi, our family will be relocating to San Antonio next month and we are debating which community to choose for our new home. We have looked at a couple of areas for a 3,000SQF $350K price tag in gated community with pools and tennis courts, and we have nailed it down to Snonoma Ranch and Stone Oak.

Snonoma Ranch is closer to my workplace (USAA) and should provide easier commute. Stone Oak (Golf Canyon) seems to have a more decent neighborhood and is within walking distance to golf course. It is hard to decide which area we will pull the trigger...

Any opinions about pros and cons of each area? Thanks...

[cheermomof4girls]

I think you mean Canyon Golf, right? What neighborhood are you looking at off of that rd? If you are off of Canyon Golf, you are not in Stone Oak, you are part of Canyon Springs. I live in the community and love it. A lot of people will say not to live out here because of traffic. I came from the Austin area so traffic to me is not close to being as bad. They are in the plans (I believe) of building a connecting highway to I 10 and 281 in a few years so that may make things better for a lot of people. Depending on where you are off of Canyon Golf, and if you have children, part of it is North East ISD and the other part is Comal ISD. We are with Comal and love it.

[hoddys2]

Since you'll be working at USAA I'd recommend Sonoma Ranch. The commute to Stone Oak is pretty bad. I know people will debate this but I worked near USAA and commuted to Sonoma Ranch and Stone Oak. The commute to Sonoma Ranch was 20 minutes vs. 45 minutes to Stone Oak. Both are nice communities and if commute time isn't important to you you should be happy with either choice.

[els565]

Trust me...the commute to Stone Oak will be so bad that the house and neighborhood will quickly become less attractive to you.

I lived in Sonoma Ranch and it really is a great community. There's a lot less traffic and you're close to a lot of shopping, restaurants, doctors, etc.

If you're OK with sitting in traffic for at least 45 minutes on a good day (don't forget rain, accidents, fog, etc will lengthen your commute) both ways then that's great. But most folks don't want to take time away with family to be sitting in a car dealing with grumpy commuters.

Good luck with you're home search!

[firstclassflyer]

IMHO, Stone Oak = Overrated

[Turtle_Mom]

Stone Oak is often seen as any of the homes that are North of 1604, West of 281 - no matter how far up (even though it's inaccurate) I don't mind that area, the further you go out (like Terra Bella, Canyon Springs, Timberwood Park etc.) but the commute is longer to work and shopping.

I always recommend not having to cross a major freeway - your commute will be greater that way. For USAA - you would have a better commute from Sonoma Ranch or even up I-10 (Fair Oaks Ranch - Boerne Stage Rd.) area.

[mrstxcop]

i worked at USAA for years and i lived around the bandera/1604/prue area...i would have much rather commuted from this area than from out in stone oak ---

we are currently living around the stone oak area, actually a little further out and we hate it --- too much traffic --- i commute every morning from bulverde rd/stone oak rd to take my kids to school over by i-10/1604 and the traffic is horrible out here in the morning and in the afternoon --- in the morning i leave at 630am and i get back at apx 810am, all because of traffic ---

we are building a house out i-10/ralph fair rd/boerne stage rd area and although there is traffic, there is not near as much as out in stone oak ---

we almost built off canyon golf rd and i am soooo glad we didn't --- my inlaws live out here and although they like their house they hate the traffic and they limit when the leave and run errands due to traffic ---

good luck in your decision --- have you been out and looked at both areas?

i agree with what FCF said --- i think stone oak is highly overrated --- don't get me wrong, it is a beautiful area but way too congested --- being born and raised here in san antonio and remembering what the 281/1604 area used to be like, yes, it is now traffic hell to me --- many who live out here are from out of town and fought traffic that was much worse, so it's not bad for them ---

[713 to 210]

It depends on what you're used to. I moved from Houston, more exactly, Sugar Land. The Stone Oak area is a master planned community much like I'm used to. You have many things nearby and there are many things to do within the community. You don't really ever have to leave except for work.

Sonoma is more of your typical large subdivision. You have to leave it and get on a highway to do your shopping and entertainment. That's normal for SA though, Stone Oak is different.

People like Stone Oak because they are used to that layout from bigger cities. People native to SA are not used to it. If you're ok with a 30-45 minute commute then go for Stone Oak. Most people I worked with in Houston commuted at least 45 minutes. It's just a different phenomenon to native San Antonians.

[adtobias]

sonoma ranch any day. just look at the traffic going home. back up from i10 to 281 and it starts at 3 and not over till 7pm

[winst0n]

if ever you decide on canyon springs, u don't have to get to 281 to commute. your commute would be from canyon springs to wilderness oak to blanco to 1604. blanco is congested to traffic too but is currently being widened and should finish end of 2009.

other than your commute to work, almost everything you need and more should be within the area - under 2-3 miles.

all i can say is, there must be a reason why people, along with businesses flocked to stone oak that is causing more density than typical SA communities...